Stock-feeding trough



March 9,1926. 1,576,288

H. s. LAW

STOCK FEEDING TROUGH Filed August 1925 v l I" I 11 7%,

Patented Mar. 9,

UNITED srass P FlQE.

STOCK-FEEDING TROUGI-I.

Application filed August 28, 1925. Serial No. 53,106.

T 0 all w/zom it may concern Be it known that I, Hanvnr S. Law, acitizen of the United States, residing at Charleston, in the county ofCole-s and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in a Stock-Feeding i.rough, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in feeding devices for stock, andhas for'its principal object to provide a trough wherein the same is ofsuch construction as to on able the feed to be delivered to the troughautomatically by gravitation so that constantsupply will be maintainedin the trough, thus avoiding the necessity of having to fill the troughvery frequently.

A further object is to provide a stock feeding device of the abovementioned character wherein the same is of such construction to enablethe stock to obtain the food from the trough and at the same timepreventing any possibility of the stock placing their feed in the troughor otherwise contan'iinating the feed.

A further object is to provide a stool:-

:iecding device of the above mentioned character wherein drain openingsis provided for the trough, the hopper which is associated with thetrough being supported on the latter in such a manner as to prevent anypossibility of the hopper becoming accidentally displaced therefrom.

A further object is to provide a stock feeding device of the abovementioned character which simple in construction, inexpensive, andfurthermore adapted to the purposes for which the same is designed.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame Figure 1 is a top plan view of the stock feeding device embodyingmy invention,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the line2-Z of Fig. l, and

3 is a transverse section taken on the line 83 of Fig. 1.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 1 designate gen r y yimproved and; feeding device, the same comprising a substantiallyrcctangular-shaped base 2 which is formed of any suitable material suchas concrete, metal, or wood, and it is to be understood that I do notwish to limit myself to the particular kind of material which may beused.

The base is provided with the upstanding side walls 3 and the cud walls4;. The central portion of the base 2 is arched as indi cated at 5 andthis arched portion extends for the full length of the base, the crownof the arch being slightly below the upper edges of the side walls moreclearly illustrated in Figs. 2 and 5. The arched portion 5 formslongitudinally extending troughs 6 at the opposite sites of the base andthese troughs are rounded at their bottoms as is more clearlyillustrated in Fig. 3.

Adapted to rest on the arched portion 5 of the base 2 is the hopperdesignated by the numeral 7, the same being also formed of any suitablematerial such as concrete, wood or metal, and this hopper is also ofrectangular design and is in the form of a frame which in ludes thesides 8 and the ends 9. The hopper '2' is of substantially the samelength the base but is of a width less than the width of the base as isobvious from the construction shown in Fig. l. The ends 9 of therectangular shaped frame comprising the hopper 7 is of greater heightthan the side walls 8 and as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3, the loweredge of each of the end walls 5 being curved as indicated at 10 toconform to the shape of the arched portion 5 on which the same isadapted to rest adjacent the respective ends of the base.

The lower portion of each of the end walls 9 of the hopper T areslightly offset as indicated at 11 to provide the shoulder 12, whichshoulder rests in a-suit-able notch 13 provided therefore in the upperedge of the respective end walls 4 of the base.

In this manner, the hopper will be sup ported on the base over thearched portion 5 so that the lower edges of the side walls will bespaced from the arched portion forming an outlet 14 whereby. the feedwhich is placed in the hopper will be delivered to the side troughs 6 bygravity due to the provision of the arched portion 5. The shoulder 12and the notch 13 associated with the respective ends of the hopper andbase will provide what may be considered as an interlocking arrangementso that the accidental displacement of the hopper from the base by thestops'will be prevented.

.t is of course to be understood that any other suitable means maybeprovided for supporting the hopper on the trough on the base and I donot Wish to limit myseh to the particular manner in which this may beaccomplished.

Each of the troughs is provided with a drain opening 15, the samebeingto rn'ied in the end Wall of the base as is shown more clearly inFig. 3. This drain opening is arranged at such a height as to permitdrainage of overflow of liquids above the level of the trough.

The provision of stock feeding device will enable constant supplyofiteed from the hopper to the trough by gravityand further the troughsare of such size as to prevent any possibility of the stock puttingtheir feet in the trough While feeding thcr2- from. r

In cold weather, or it the feed was being used by horses, cattle, or thelike, a cover could be provided for the open top of the hopper. A stockfeeding device oi the above mentioned character may be manufactured at avery low cost and furthermore may be readily and easily cleaned and atall times will be positive and etlicient in carrying out the purposestoravhich it is designed.

Vhile I have shovvn the preferred emiiig side and. end Walls, thecentral portion of the base being arched for its entire length toprovide longitudinally extending troughs on opposite sides, the upperedges ot' the end Wallsof the base being notched, i

a hopper supported on the base over said arched portion, said hopperincluding a frame, the ends of the frame having their bottom edgesrounded for engagement with the arched portion, a shoulder being formedon eachend of thetrame of the hopper for engagement with the respectivenotches formed in the respective end Walls of the base, the sides ot theframe being spaced from the sides of the base, and the bot tOlfl edgesof the sides of the frame being spaced from the arched portion toperniiit the feed in the hopper from the hopper to be discharged intothe troughs by gravity.

In testimony whereof I altix my signature.

HARVEY S. LAlV.

